Oscillating electric fan



Aug. 28, 1934. J. J. GOUG'H ,3

OSCILLATING ELECTRIC FAN Filed Aug. 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /0 fl 9B Iq venkor.

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Patented Aug. 28, 1934 I OSOILLATING ELECTRIC FAN James J. Gough, Chicago, 111., assignor to Chicago Electric Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 18, 1933, Serial No. 685,661

13 Claims. (01. 230-271) My invention relates to electric fans of the type the oscillation-imparting mechanism so that his in which the motor is pivotally supported on a part can be manually moved (as for example, by pedestal or bracket for oscillation about an apthe aid of a lever) into andout of its operatively proximately upright axis, and in which-the moconnected position. However, this undesirably tor and fan assembly are automatically oscilcomplicates the mechanism and too often leads 2h, lated about the said aids so as to cause the to needed repairs. 1 1 of th fan t weep ovey a ide area. My present invention aims. to overcome the When the oscillation-imparting mechanism of above recited chJ' fi t the use Of frictionsuch an electric fan comprises elements which t l fl other slippage-providing Oscillation 10 are continuously and positively interconnected, COHtIOl m t y Causing a t oscillation may be h lt by any bject, thrust due to an abnormal resistance to the oswhich happens t b i d ithi th path cillation to interrupt the driving connection beof gsgfllation of th fan-guard th portion tween two parts of the oscillating mechanism the motor and fan assembly, thereby halting i ly, While c n t in th m 15 the action of the fan and sometimes overloading nism so h all parts thereof w l normally be t motor t such an t t as t damage is positively interconnected with one another and To overcome this objection, it has heretofore free 0f -Y frifi'fiioll pp J' been proposed to insert a friction clutch or other Furthermore, y invention aims to p v a slip-permitting connection between two portions p e. nd easily manufactured oscillation-conga of the oscillating mechanism, so that a haltin trol mechanism which will permit all of the in of the oscillation will still allow the shaft nsaeins parts to be immersed in lubr c and the fan to continue rotating, because of and Which can read y be used in connection the slippage between element of th friction with the usual motor and pedestal of an ordinary clutch or its equivalent. c c fim- However, such an arrangement still compels n i n, my inv n n ims o provide n so the motor to exert considerable power (while oscillation-control mechanism for an electric fan the oscillation is halted) for overcoming the which will readi y perm t the 11st? Change friction between the interei'i'gaging and relatively he fan blast from a single direction to an slipping clutch parts, thereby reducing the speed oscillating swe p, V Versa, by a sli 39 and the air-blowing capacity of the fan. M0rema ua manipulaticn 0f e an body or of a 5 over, the friction between the interengaging part of the oscillating mechanism, without reclutch parts soon causes wear on one or both quin e a y auxiliary l v 01' her means for of. these clutch parts, thereby requiring a reeffecting this Ch adjustmcnt of the clutch and in time a replace- Illustrative of the manner in which I accom- 05 men}; of the worn parts, V plish the above recited ObJ GCtS, Fig. 1 is a rear With household fans, the average user cannot elevation of a table-type oscillating electric fan, readily make such a new clutch adjustment to with portions of the motor casing and the lower the proper point at which the interengaging part of the pedestal broken away. clutch parts will normally grip effectively and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, taken along the 40 yet will readily permit the needed slippage in line 22 of Fi l and showing the parts as they case the oscillation of the motor and fan asappear when the motor and fan assem y is sernhly is halted; and the lay user also has no being oscillated. replacement parts available for use when a Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the clutch part becomes unduly worn. Moreover, line 3 -3 of Fig. 1, taken at the mid-oscillation the use of such a friction clutch does not readily position of the motor. permit the appliance to be used interchangeably Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along the cit er asen oscillating fan or for blowing air line 4-4 of Fig. 2, taken at the mid-oscillation r, inually in one direction when the latter is position of the mot needed, as this also would equ e the 1 5 $150015 Fig. 5 is an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 50 i a manner which the average y 0 3, also showing part of the oscillating link and woman is not skilled. the pedestal to whichthis link is connected.

To adapt an electric fan of this general class Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along the for use interchangeably as a straight air-blowing line 6-6 of Fig. 5. tan and as an oscillating (or air-sweeping) fan, Fig. 7 is a plan section similar to Fig. 4, showit has also been proposed to support a part of 'ing the same parts in a position in which the connecting link between a crank-disk and a lug on the pedestal is rotationally moving the motor and fan assembly by a pushing movement.

Fig. 8 is a section allied to Fig. 6, but taken after the intermediate transmission shaft has automatically been shifted to a gear-unmeshing position in response to interference with the oscillating movement of the fan body.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical section diametric of the intermediate transmisison shaft and the two gear elements on that shaft, and through adjacent portions to the two end walls of the gear casing, showing a three-part construction of the shaft and gear-element assembly.

In the drawings, the pivotally mounted motor assembly includes a stator core 1 spanned at its opposite sides by brackets 2 in which the shaft 3 of the usual rotor is journaled and on the forward portion of which shaft the usual fanblade member (not here illustrated) is fastened. This forward portion of the shaft extends through a bearing and lubricating box 4 supported by one of the brackets 2, while the rearward portion of the fan shaft is journaled in a side wall 5A of a mechanism casing fastened to the companion bracket.

Extending through and journaled in the bottom 53 of this mechanism casing is an upright oscillation-imparting shaft 6 which has its axis farther outward of the said casing than the midlength portion of a worm 7 which is fast upon the fan shaft 3 and freely housed by the said casing. Extending transversely of both of the aforesaid shafts 3 and 6 below the fan shaft is a horizontal intermediate shaft 8 which has its end portions respectively journaled in the two end walls 50 and 51) of the mechanism casing, and which intermediate shaft can slide (longitudinally of its axis) with respect to the said casing to a limited extent, as hereafter described.

Housing the entire motor and the mechanism casing is a motor casing comprising two main portions 9A and 9B which have diametrically enlarged adjacent ends overlapping the stator core 1. These main portions are connected by a clamp 10 presenting downwardly extending clamp ears 10A between which the upper end of pivoting pin 11 is gripped. This pivoting pin is socketed (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) in the longitudinal bore of a normally upright lug- 12 fastened in the usual manner by a clamping screw 13 to the upper end of the pedestal or other supporting member 14 of my oscillating fan, so that the motor and fan as sembly can oscillate about the normally upright axis A of the bore in the said lug 12.

To effect this oscillation, I fasten a crankdisk 15 to the lower end of the upright (or oscillation-imparting) shaft 6, and connect this disk by a link or pitman 16 to a bracket 17 on the pivot lug 12. On the upper end of the upright shaft ii I fasten a worm-wheel 18 meshing with a worm l9'which is fast upon the intermediate shaft 8 and which worm is of such a length that it will always mesh with the worm-wheel l8 regardless of the positions to which the intermediate shaft can be slid back and forth.

Then I fasten to the intermediate shaft 8 another gear member 20 which normally meshes with the worm '7 on the fan shaft 3, this gear member 20 is formed substantially as a half worm-wheel meshing mainly with the part of the fan-shaft worm 7 whichis at the opposite side from the upright shaft 6 from a vertical plane P along the axis of the fan-shaft 3, thereby permitting this half-worm-wheel to be slid (along with the intermediate shaft 8) to the left from its meshing position of Fig. 6 to the position of Fig. 8 in which the said (half) worm wheel 20 is out of mesh with the worm 7 on the fan-shaft.

The longer worm 19 on the intermediate shaft 8 may be positioned so that its outward end will abut against the adjacent side wall 5D of the mechanism casing at one end of the sliding movement of this shaft; and the opposite side wall 50 of this casing has a bore 21 extending downwardly into it, with the axis of this bore desirably intersecting the of the intermedi ate shaft 8. Resting upon the adjacent portion 8A this shaft and housed by the bore 21 is a latch ball 24 adapted to enter either a peripheral groove 22 on the intermediate shaft 8 when this shaft is disposed (as in Fig. 6) for holding the (half) worm-wheel 2G intermeshed with the worm T on the fan shaft, and which ball also can seat in a second per pheral groove 23 on the intermediate siaft when the latter is slid to the unineshing position of Fig. 8. A spring 25, interposed between the latch ball 24 and a screw 26 threaded into the upper end of the wall bar 21 continually presses this ball against the intermediate shaft.

When my oscillating motor is normally operating, with the directions of rotation as shown by arrows in Figs. 5 and 6, the rotational thrust of the worm-wheel 18 on the upright shaft (due to the effort required for moving the pitman or link 16 so as to oscillate the motor, fan and easing assembly about the normally upright axis A of the pivot lug 12) is too slight to overcome the latching effect of the spring-pressed latch ball 24. Consequently, this latch ball prevents the horizontal intermediate shaft from sliding out of the position of Figs. 5 and 6 in which the entire gear system interposed between the fanshaft 3 and the oscillation-imparting upright shaft 6 is operative.

However, the resistance to an oscillating of the fan assembly about the said axis A is abnormally increased so as to halt a further rotation of the upright shaft 6, the worm-wheel 18 on this shaft remains stationary and the wormwheel 19 then acts as if it were a stationary rack through which the longer worm 20 threads itself so as to slide the intermediate shaft 8 (to the left in Fig. 6), thereby moving the half" worm-wheel 20 gradually out of mesh with the worm '7 on the fan-shaft. During this sliding of the intermediate shaft, the latch ball 2 1 slides up along the inward side of the outer groove 22 and upon the ridge 26 between the two grooves 22 and 23 on the intermediate shaft; and when the ball thereafter enters the inward groove 23, the pressing of the ball against the a slope of the outward half of the inner groove 23 causes the spring-pressed ball to slide the intermediate shaft still further, namely to the position of Fig. 6. Thus the threading of the longer worm 19 through the worm-wheel 18 moves the intermediate shaft 8 part way out of the position in which the gear members '7 and 20 are intermeshed, and the coaction of the springpressed ball 24 with the inner groove 23 on the intermediate shaft completes the sliding movement of that shaft, after which the said ball latches the intermediate shaft to maintain the mesh-annulling.

Consequently, my fan then continues to operate as a straight-blowing or non-oscillating fan.

And, since the motor no longer has to actuate the oscillating mechanism, the" speed of the motor increases somewhat, so that the blast of the fan is correspondingly increased instead of being greatly diminished (as in the case of mechanisms employing friction clutches) by the power required to overcome the friction between the interengaging clutch faces.

Moreover, since the halting of the oscillation is thus eifected automatically in response to an abnormal resistance to the oscillating (as for example, by having the usual fan guard strike against a book rack or other object on the table on which the fan is set), this halting can likewise be effected by manually resisting the oscillating of the motor and fan assembly on the support about which this assembly oscillates.

That is to say, the user can almost instantly halt the oscillating either by digitally grasping the casing 9 of the motor to resist its oscillation. And the user can likewise cause the oscillation to resume by grasping and slightly turning the motor casing, so that no auxiliary means are required for instantly changing my electric fan from an oscillating one to a straight-blowing one or vice versa.

Moreover, with the worm 19 on the intermediate shaft of such length as to intermesh continuously with the worm-wheel 8 on the upright shaft 6, the intermediate shaft can also be slid into or out of its operative position by manually rotating this upright shaft in one or the other direction. That is to say, if the crank-disk 15 is digitally rotated in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 5, so as to rotate the worm-wheel 18 on the upright shaft in this direction, the intermediate shaft will be slid from its position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 8, thereby halting the oscillation of the fan. Likewise, when the fan is not oscillating, so that the intermediate shaft is in the position shown in Fig. 8, a rotation iary instrumentality is required for this purpose.

Furthermore, the gear casing (which includes the walls 5A etc.) can readily be filled with a grease or other suitable lubricant and thereafter closed by a cover 29 (Figs. 1 and 6), thereby insuring both an adequate lubrication and a silent operation for the four gear members, and also lubricating the journals for the intermediate and the upright shaft and one of the journals for the fan shaft.

In my thus arranged mechanism, the horizontal shaft 2 with its two adjacent latch. grooves, the half-worm 20, and the longer worm 19 together form a rigid and slidably supported transmission member, the movement of which member controls the change of my electric fan from an oscillating fan to one blowing air continually in one direction. To permit thisslidable member to be journaled in the two end walls 50 and 5D of an integrally formed gear casing, I desirably employ the following three-part con struction, as shown in Fig. 9:

First, I turn a single-piece shaft 8 of greater length than the said gear casing, with a diametrically enlarged head portion SA on one end in which the grooves 22 and 23 are formed, and with a knurling 2'7 on the smaller-diametered part of the shaft adjacent to the said head portion. Then I provide both the half-worm wheel 20 and the longer worm 19 with bores in which the said knurling will wedge when the smaller diametered portion of the shaft is driven through them, and provide the long worm 19 with an integral tubular stem 19 A for spacing the worm-wheel suitably from the half-worm wheel 20.

With the three parts thus constructed, and with the joint axial length of the half-worm wheel 20 and the stemmed worm 19 suitably less than the clear spacing of the gear-casing end walls 50 and 5D, the smaller diametered shaft part 8 can readily be forcibly slid through both the half-worm wheel 20 and the worm 19 when the latter are held within the gear casing in alinement with the bores in which the shaft to be journaled. And by making the knurling 27 of sufficient radial height, I readily secure a rigid connecting of the three parts of this slidable transmission member with an inexpensive construction of the parts and an expeditious assembling.

When so arranged, the alined bores B and B (Fig. 6 or 9) in which this transmission memher is journaled permit the needed sliding of that member, the only increased cost required for providing my oscillation control being that of the latch ball 24 together with the spring 25 and the spring-resisting screw 26. Thus I not only effect a decided saving in cost in comparison with the slip-clutch or lever-actuated control mechanisms heretofore employed, but also overcome the numerous difficulties and objections encountered with the previous constructions, And in addition, I can readily obtain such an adequate lubrication of the gear mechanism as to insure long wear and entirely silent operation. 7

However, while I have heretofore described my invention in connection with an embodiment including many desirable details of construction and arrangement, I do not wish to be limited in these respects, since many changes might be made without departing either from the spirit of my invention or from the appended claims. Nor do I wish to be limited to the use of my oscillation-control mechanism for table-type fans in which the oscillation is about a portion of a pedestal, since the nature of the supporting member is obviously immaterial.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an oscillating electric fan, a supporting member; a motor assembly pivoted upon the supporting member for oscillation about a vertical axis, the motor including an approximately horizontal fan-carrying shaft and a gear casing fast wlthrespcct to the body of the motor and into which casing the said shaft extends; a vertical shaft journaled in the gear casing; means interposed between the vertical shaft and the supporting member whereby rotation of the vertical shaft oscillates the motor assembly about the said vertical axis; a worm fast on the fan shaft; and a gear train normally operatively interposed between the said worm and the vertical shaft, the said gear train including an axially movable half-wormwheel normally meshing with the said worm and adapted to be moved out of meshing relation to the worm on the fanshaft by abnormal resistance to rotation of the vertical shaft.

2. In an oscillating electric ran, an assemblage of elements as per claim 1, in which the gear train includes a longitudinally slidable intermediate shaft and a half-Worm-wh'eel fast on the last named shaft and normally in meshing relation tothe worm on the fan shaft; and means yieldingly latching the said intermediate shaft in either 'of two positions in which the said half-worni-wheel' is respectively in and out of its said meshing relation.

3. In an oscillating electric fan, a supporting member; a motor assembly pivoted upon the said member for oscillation about a vertical axis, the motor assembly including an approximately horizontal fan shaft and a gear casing fast with respect to the body of the motor and into which casing the fan shaft extends; a vertical shaft extending through and journaled in the bottom of the gear casing; means interposed between the vertical shaft and the supporting member whereby rotation of the vertical shaft oscillates the motor assembly about the said vertical axis; an intermediate shaft journaled in and longitudinally slidable in opposite riser walls of the gear casing and extending transversely of both of the aforesaid shafts; two worm wheels respectively fast upon the vertical shaft and on the intermediate shaft; a worm fast on the intermediate shaft; and continually meshing with the worm wheel on the vertical shaft, and a half-worm-wheel normally meshing with the worm on the fan shaft and adapted to be moved into and out of meshing relation to the last named worm when the intermediate shaft is moved longitudinally in respectively opposite directions.

4. An oscillating electric fan comprising a supporting member; a motor assembly pivoted upon the said member for oscillation about a vertical axis, the motor including an approximately horizontal fan-shaft and a gear casing fast with respect to the body of the motor and into which the'fan-shaft extends; a vertical shaft journaled in the gear casing; means interposed between the vertical shaft and the supporting member whereby rotation of the vertical shaft oscillates the motor assembly about the said vertical axis; a worm fast on the fan-shaft; a longitudinally slidable intermediate shaft extending transversely of both of the aforesaid shafts, gearing continuously interposed between the intermediate shaft and the vertical shaft, and a halfworm-wheel fast on the intermediate shaft and adapted to be moved into and outof meshing relation to the said worm by relatively opposite longitudinal movements of the intermediate shaft.

5. An oscillating fan as per claim 4, in which the said elements are so arranged that resist ance to an oscillation of the motor assembly in one direction effects a sliding of the intermediate shaft to move the half-worm-wheel out of its saidmeshing relation, and so that a manual oscillation of the motor assembly in the opposite direction, after the said unmeshing, will slide the intermediate shaft so as to move the half-worm wheel back into its said meshing relation. 7

6. An oscillating electric fan as per claim 4, in which the gear casing has a portion thereof disposed for engaging the worm wheel on the transmission shaft to limit the movement of the last named shaft in the direction which causes the halfwormwheel on that shaft to mesa with the worm on the fan shaft.

,in which that shaft respectively disposes the half-worm-wheel in meshing and in unmeshed relation to the said worm.

8. In an oscillating electric fan of the class in which a crank-shaftisnormally driven from a motor-shaft so as to effect an oscillation of the fan, salami-$51011 means interposed between the motor-shaft and the crank-shaft; the said transmission means including two normally intermeshing gear members, a longitudinally slidable intermediate shaft on which one of the said gear members is fast; said intermediate shaft extending transversely of both of the aforesaid shafts and upon which the other of he said gear members is fast, a worm-wheel on the crank-shaft; a worm fast on thelntermediate shaft and continuously meshing with the worm-wheel and adapted, when the crank-shaft is halted by abnormal resistance to its rotation, to serve as a rack through which the intermediate shaft then threads itself to move the latter shaft longitudinally in a direction tending to unmesh the said gear members, including spring-pressed means for continuing the longitudinal movement of the intermediate shaft in the said direction so as to complete the unmeshing of the gear members.

9 In an oscillating fan, a base member; a motor and gear-casing assembly pivoted upon the base member for oscillation about a vertical axis, the motor having its shaft extending horizontally into the gear casing; a vertical shaft journaled in and extending downwardly through the bottom of the gear casing; a crank-disk fast on the lower end of the vertical shaft; a pitman interposed between the crank-disk and the base member; a worm fast upon the motor shaft and disposed within the gear casing; a worm' -wheel fast on the upper end of the vertical shaft; an intermediate shaft extending across the gear casing transversely of both the motorshaft and the vertical shaft, the intermediate shaft being journaled in two opposite walls of the gear casing with freedom for longitudinal movement; a worm fast on the intermediate shaft and continuously meshing with the wormwheel on the vertical shaft; and a half-wormwheel normally in meshing relation to the worm on the motor-shaft and adapted to be moved out of its said meshing relation when the intermediate shaft is slid longitudinally in one direction; the crank-disk being disposed exteriorly of the gear casing and adapted to be manually rotated in one direction tocause the intermeshing of the worm-wheel on the vertical shaft with the worm on the intermediate shaft to slide the last named shaft longitudinally in one direction.

10, In an oscillating fan, a base member; a motor and gear-casing assembly pivoted upon the base member for oscillationabout a vertical axis, the motor having its shaft extending horizontally into the gear casing; a vertical shaft journaled in and extending downwardly through the bottom of the gear casing; a crank-disk fast on the lower end of the vertical shaft; a pitman interposed between the crank-disk and base member; a worm fast upon the motor shaft and disposed within the gear casing; a worm-wheel fast on the upper end of the vertical shaft; an intermediate shaft extending across the gear casing transversely of both the motor-shaft and the vertical shaft, the intermediate shaft being journaled in two opposite walls of the gear casing with freedom for longitudinal movement; a worm fast on the intermediate shaft and continuously meshing with the worm-wheel on the vertical shaft; and a half-worm-wheel normally in meshing relation to the worm on the motorshaft and adapted to be moved out of its said meshing relation when the intermediate shaft is slid longitudinally in one direction; the pitman serving as means whereby a manual rotational movement of the said assembly about the said vertical axis will cause the intermeshing of the worm-wheel on the vertical shaft with the worm on the intermediate shaft to move the intermediate shaft longitudinally.

11. In an oscillating fan, a base member; a motor and gear-casing assembly pivoted upon the base member for oscillation about a vertical axis, the motor having its shaft extending horizontally into the gear casing; a vertical shaft journaled in and extending downwardly through the bottom of the gear casing; a crank fast' on the lower end of the vertical shaft; a pitman interposed between the crank and base member; a worm fast upon the motor shaft and disposed within the gear casing; a worm-wheel fast on the upper end of the vertical shaft; and an intermediate and longitudinally slidable transmission member extending across the gear casing transversely of the motor shaft; the said member comprising a stem extending through one wall of the casing and a relatively larger diametered head integral with the said stem and extending through the opposite casing wall; a half-worm-wheel driven tightly upon the said stem and adjacent to the shaft head and a worm. tightly fitted upon the stem and meshing with the worm-wheel on the upright shaft, the halfworm wheel meshing normally with the worm on the motor shaft, and the total length of the said half-worm and of the worm on the stem being sufiiciently less than the spacing between the said opposite casing walls to permit the halfworm wheel to be moved out of its meshing relation to the worm on the motor shaft.

12. In an oscillating electric fan, a motor ineluding a rotating motor-shaft and a stator, a base member upon which the stator is pivoted for oscillating movement about an upright axis, and a mechanism operatively interposed between the motor-shaft and the base member whereby a continuous rotation of the motorshaft in one direction normally oscillates the stator about the said upright axis; the said mechanism including an upright shaft, a crank on the upright shaft, a link pivoted at opposite ends to the crank and the base member, a worm on the motor-shaft, a worm-wheel on the upright shaft, and an intermediate transmission member; the latter member including an intermediate horizontal shaft extending transverse- 1y of both the motor-shaft and the upright shaft and journaled with freedom for longitudinal movement, a half-worm wheel fast on the intermediate shaft and normally meshing with the worm on the motor-shaft but adapted to be moved out of its said meshing when the intermediate shaft is slid longitudinally in one direction, and a worm fast on the intermediate shaft and meshing with the said worm-wheel regardless of varying positions of the intermediate shaft; and throw-over spring means for latching the intermediate shaft in either of two positions in which the intermediate shaft disposes the half-worm-wheel respectively in meshing and in unmeshing relation to the motorshaft, the half -worm-wheel having teeth of suflicient length to continue the said meshing during the movement of the intermediate shaft toward the said unmeshing position until the throw-over spring means operate.

13. In an oscillating fan, a supporting member; a motor including a stator pivoted upon the said member for oscillation about a vertical axis, and also including a rotor having a horizontal shaft projecting rearwardly beyond the stator; a first gear member on the projecting part of rotor shaft; an upright shaft spaced from and extending transversely of the rotor shaft; connecting instrumentalities continuously interposed between the upright shaft and the supporting member whereby rotation of the upright shaft oscillates the motor about the said vertical axis; a second gear member fast on the upright shaft; and an intermediate transmission member supported by the gear casing with freedom for both rotational and axial movement, the said transmission member including two auxiliary gear members fast with respect to each other, one of the auxiliary gear members being adapted to be moved into and out of meshing relation to the first member by axial movements of the intermediate transmission member in respectively opposite directions; the other auxiliary gear member meshing continuously with the said second gear member and normally rotating the upright shaft, the auxiliary gear member also acting after the manner of a spiraled rack in cooperating with the gear on the vertical shaft for effecting the said axial movements of the intermediate transmission member in response to departures of the vertical shaft from its normal rotation.

JAMES J. GOUGH. 

